Sound absorption panels typically involve porous and/or contoured surfaces designed to baffle the sound waves impinging on the surface thereof. The idea is to bounce the sound waves around, in or on the panel such that the reflected sound wave is much lower in volume that the one first impinging. Such panels are often used in office complexes as divider walls or between offices to prevent sound from carrying throughout the area.
An example of the kind of problem which exists is a printer used with word processors in business offices. Often the volume of sound created during the printing procedure is so great that it is difficult for the staff to talk on the phone while the printer is running. As a consequence, remote printers are common. The keyboard will be located in one room while the printer is located in another room or in the case of a large room filled with a number of desks, the desks will be separated by sound absorption panels and the printer will be located in a relatively remote area of the room almost completely surrounded by absorption panels. Panels around the printer will absorb some sound and reflect other sound upwardly toward the ceiling where other sound absorption panels of a different sort may exist.
The dampening of the sounds in a theater environment is another important structural problem because the typical cavernous area tends to echo the sounds projected from the entertainment stage or associated speakers. The problem of echoes has been solved to a limited extent by the hanging of heavy convoluted drapes along the walls of the theater. More recent designs for sound absorbing side walls include convoluted, fabric covered curtain walls of various structural materials.
The fact that research is continuing on designs and materials to serve as sound absorbing panels to be used as divider walls or curtain walls shows the need for a more universally usable structure and as a consequence of this need, the herein disclosed sound absorbing panel has been designed.